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Bow man arraigned on sexual assault charges

A Broken Bow man was arraigned in Custer County District Court April 4 on two counts of 3rd Degree Sexual Assault of a Child. Jason Royle, 37, appeared with his attorney, Christopher Wickham, for arraignment on the charges. According to County Attorney Steven Bowers, the alleged abuse took place from January 2007 through September 2010. Royle entered a plea of not guilty on the charges, which are Class IIIA felonies. Possible penalties for the charges are 0-5 years in prison, and/or $10,000 fine. The case was set for jury trial June 10, with a pretrial hearing set for May 23. Also arraigned last Thursday was Tiffany Dancer, 27, of Mullen. She has been charged with unauthorized use of a financial transaction device, a Class IV felony. Dancer plead not guilty to the charge and the case was set for jury trial Oct. 15 A pretrial hearing was set for Sept. 26. Two cases were set for sentencing during the April 4 court date, with one of those failing to appear for his hearing. Stephen M. Riggs plead no contest in December 2012, to an amended charge of Class IV criminal mischief. The charge stems from an incident in September in which a vehicle Riggs was “joyriding” in caught fire and is believed to have ignited a hay fire, with the total lost of $3,700 in property. Riggs had been set for sentencing in January, and has since had his sentencing continued at least twice. Therefore, the motion by the defense to continue was denied by Judge Noakes, who then entered a bench warrant for Riggs in the amount of 10 percent of $10,000. • Burton S. Jenkins, Jr. did appear for sentencing with his attorney, Gary Peterson. Jenkins, 29, was sentenced to 117 days in jail, with credit given for 117 days served, after being convicted on an amended charge of Class IV terroristic threats. • Nicholas Saner, 31 of Broken Bow, appeared April 4 for a hearing to change his plea. Saner was originally arraigned in Custer County District Court Nov. 8, 2012, on five felony charges stemming from a September 2012 incident with his then girlfriend. In a plea agreement with the state, all but one of those charges was dismissed in exchange for his plea of no contest to a charge of criminal attempt - arson, a Class III felony. As part of the agreement, the state is recommending a sentence of time served plus two years probation. Sentencing for Saner was set for May 9. MARCH 21 •Travis Brown, 23 of Loup City, was arraigned in Custer County District Court March 21, charged with 1st Degree Sexual Assault, a Class II felony. The charge stems from an incident in December 2012, with the victim at the time being older than 12 years of age but younger than 16 years of age. Brown plead not guilty to the charge, and the case was set for jury trial June 10. A pretrial hearing was set for May 23. •Patricia R. Button, of Sargent, appeared March 21 for sentencing after being found guilty of violating her probation. However, the State had since filed a second motion to revoke probation based on Button’s arrest in January for issuing bad checks. Instead of being sentenced, Button was arraigned on the second motion to revoke, of which she denied the allegations against her. The case was set for progression conference April 18.MARCH 14 •Conard R. Sutton, 62 of Sargent, appeared in Custer County District Court March 14 for entry of plea on an amended charge of child abuse, a Class I misdemeanor. Sutton was charged for allowing an 11-year-old to operate an off-road farm utility vehicle, and fined $1,000 plus costs. •Robin L. Sands, 25 of Broken Bow, was arraigned on three separate charges of issuing bad checks. Two of the charges are Class IV felonies, while the third charge is listed as a Class I misdemeanor. Sands plead not guilty to the charges and the case was set for jury trial June 10. •Dathan L. Nelson, 35 of Callaway, was also arraigned March 14 for 1st Degree Sexual Assault, a Class II felony. The charge stems from an August 2012 incident in which Nelson is accused of assaulting a minor between the ages of 12 and 16. Nelson plead not guilty to the allegation, and the case was set for jury trial June 10.